There is some controversy about whether the new Aztec year begins in February or March, but it is widely accepted that the Aztecs believed the first day of the year was indicative of the qualities and defects that would then characterize the whole year to follow.
The Aztecs had two calendars: Xiuhpohualli, “the year counting calendar”, and Tonalpohualli, “the destiny counting calendar”. The first was intended to explain and forecast natural phenomena, the movement of the heavenly bodies, and the changing of the seasons. The second, Tonalpohualli, was used to determine the destiny of every individual and the probabilities of luck for a particular enterprise.
Xiuhpohualli was divided into 18 “months” of 20 days each, resulting in a 360 day calendar. Five days named Nemotemi were added to each year in order to correct precision. Some years added 6 Nemotemi days much like we do with leap years. Xiuhpohualli represented the solar calendar, and every year was named after the first day of that year.
The day name came from the Tonalpohualli calendar - the deity calendar - and whatever the symbol it carried was believed to be an omen that would dictate the nature of the year to come. The Tonalpohualli consisted in the union of 20 signs and 13 numbers which combined gave 260 distinct days, yielding days like “2 Deer” or “13 Death”.
Every 52 years completed a “Gavilla” (a 52-year century) for the Aztec calendar, and this called for the New Fire ceremony. All fires would be extinguished, and a new fire was lit. This fire would be transported to all temples to be tended continuously for the next 52-year Gavilla.
The great news for Mexico is that this January 1st – 2011 – will be a Coscacuauhtli day. Coscacuauhtli is the golden eagle named Aguila Real which is featured in Mexico’s flag, and symbolizes celestial strength, bravery, victory, and sun power.
Further reading at: http://www.uaq.mx/ingenieria/publicaciones/calendarios/calazt.html
http://mx.selecciones.com/contenido/a2739_el-1-de-febrero-ano-nuevo-azteca
http://www.crystalinks.com/aztecalendar.html
http://pueblosoriginariosamericanos.blogspot.com/2007/09/los-dioses-de-los-antiguos-mexicanos.html
